I think I would wait until spring and either tackle the job myself or get someone else to do it. The people that planted this tree had no more clue of how to plant a tree than I know how to do open heart surgery. I really can't imagine them being able to come back and do the job correctly.

Before you attempt this project, thoroughly familiarize yourself with these instructions: Planting a Tree or Shrub

I would let it go. I always bury the graft union if it is very low unless I have a fruit tree grafted on dwarfing rootstock. I've planted 100's of trees The wood above the union should sprout its own roots over time. 6-8 inches is nothing to to get worked up about. Your going to set the tree back if you mess with it now. Let it go and watch it grow. If you had anything going on that would cause a potential problem someday it might be that burlap sack and rope around the root mass. A tree planter should have the common sense to remove that during planting. Sometimes it's not a problem but sometimes it can cause problems. I always remove mine.

I am impressed that you took the time to determine where the root flare was located, well done. I am disappointed that a professional would have planted to deep and more disappointed twine and burlap were not at least pulled back away from the trunk and top of the root ball. I like to expose the root ball fully to water moving down through the soil - at times the burlap will move water away in the early years after planting.

As to what to do today - if you value your trees, hire someone to come and replant in full. I would make the effort to do so and would say to do this right away and not wait until spring - many risks with spring, timing will be an issue for sure.

With that said - many Trees can overcome 6-8" and a part of me wants to tell you not to be concerned. But I cannot be sure so the safer choice - replant.

Another alternative is to simply remove the soil around the tree to the level you are comfortable with - instead of lifting the tree up, bring the surrounding soil down if this is an option.

you could also excavate 8 inches down ... about 4 or 5 feet out.. and put a circle of retaining wall brick to make the slight depression you need ... while also getting rid of any exposed burlap ...

in a few years.. the tree will adjust to it all ... its the transplant shock that is the real problem here ...

i would not use this seller again .. nor would i go with the instant gratification of a large transplant .. smaller trees are cheaper.. easier to plant yourself... and usually outgrow larger versions...

ken

i agree that you need to change the level. Deep planting can prove fatal to the tree for various reasons and is not necessarily something you would see immediately or even after several years. But the long term effect is not good, regardless of the species.

Whether you actually lift the tree or just alter the soil level is your choice as is who does the actual lifting, if that is the option you prefer (it would be mine). And I'll leave it to others in your more immediate area to suggest when. Here, I wouldn't wait and do it now, but then I have the luxury of being able to plant at any time through the winter.

FWIW, if you lift while the tree is still mostly dormant and maintain the integrity of the existing root ball, additional transplant shock is virtually nonexistant.

Yes, this is poor practice, period. It continues to amaze me how slow much of the landscape industry is to adapt to "new" information, the "new" in this case being basically since 1980. That's when the Shigo works became widespread, that's when a number of other tree researchers began to develop the framework for what has become modern arboriculture. Yet many in the private sector do not seem to be concerned with keeping up with late 20th-century practice.

Beyond a doubt too deep-there's no way around this. I'd let the original installers do as they've promised. Maybe they will learn something in the process, although that's not your primary concern. But why not let them break their own backs, since they don't want the exercise of raising a good guidebook to do some reading or study. I would though try and be on hand next spring when this is happening. Outfit sounds like the type that still might not get it right, operating as they are out of ignorance.

+oM

Hey all, thanks for the great feedback on the original post.

I'm now back to get some additional advice on when to raise the tree. Since the weather is starting to warm up here in Minnesota, I'm wondering what would be the best time to dig and raise-up this tree. We're basically at the beginning of April now and there is probably still frost in the ground. Do I need to wait for the frost to come out? Or, prior to that?

I appreciate any thoughts or advice on when the best time would be to correct the depth of this tree.

Thanks!

here in MI .. cold z5.. just south of ann arbor... i would do it any time the ground has thawed... thru april ...
link

the goal.. is 6 to 8 weeks before bud break ... so the roots get over the shock.. and start pumping water.. before they have to support the leaves ....

you can squeak into may ... but if ma nature hits us with an early heat wave.. you might cut into that 6 to 8 weeks ...

review the link.. wherever it pops up .. its a mystery where.. lol ..



ken

Now I am a bitter healthy man, I would post the planter's name for revenge and challenge the credit card charge, file a BBB complaint then raise the plant now myself if they aren't going to come out this week and fix it.

Raise it up now!

OP, I'm right across from you, just S of GB, WI. I thin it's still too early, what with the cold weather we've still been having. I'm pretty sure there's frost in the ground. But don't fall asleep at the switch, lol. Any week now will be the right time. In fact, at least some temp. moderation is in effect this coming week.

+oM

Thanks for the feedback all. I'm tentatively planning to do this one week from Easter. I'll be keeping an eye on the weather though. I do think I may encounter some frost still.

What in the heck are you worrying about frost for? The rootball will be way below the frost line. I'll bet the roots have hardly penetrated the burlap yet.
It should have been replanted at the right depth as soon as you discovered it. I'm 71 and it wouldn't take me more than five minutes to do it right. It's not that big a deal. You're over thinking it.
The people who planted it shouldn't be in business. Tell them how you feel about the job they did, and you want the labor money back. They surely can't charge for that type of work. It's contractors like that that give all of them a bad name. Make it hard on them. I can't see where they can make any excuses. Knowing the correct way to plant a tree should be taught to the help on the first day of work. Hell, they should know how when they apply for the job!
Mike...retired garden designer and landscape contractor.

Hehe Mike, some time tell us how you really feel! Or, see my post #7 in this series above, lol.

The concern for frost was that, unlike WA or for that matter, almost any other region in the US, we can get soils frozen 4 feet down here in the upper midwest. Not saying that's the case here and right now, just that such does occur. And Minneapolis, like where I live, got left out of most of the snow this year (for first time in a while) and hence, deeper frost penetration. We're not talking a crusty layer! But by now-there's been some rain and at least better than sub-zero temps-OP should be good to go, as they already indicated they plan to be.

+oM

Here's a great article (the site has many more on this subject) about how to expose the root flare:

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Root-Flare-Advice_vq1144.htm

Good luck.